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Sunday, 30 September 2012

Chocolate Chip Cookies using Whitworths Sugar

I was recently sent a lovely hamper of sugars from Whitworths Sugar so that I could take part in their Baking Challenge. The new range of sugars is made up of six high quality baking sugars - fine caster, superfine icing, fine demerara, crunchy demerara, light soft brown and dark soft brown sugar, all in sturdy re-sealable packs that stand up on a sturdy base to make it much easier to measure out the sugar. There is also a Twist and Sprinkle icing sugar duster with built in sieve that dispenses a lovely dusting of icing sugar over your baked goods to add a flourish, or disguise any imperfections, on the top of cakes. ;o)

The Baking Challenge was for me to bake one of my recipes using Whitworths Sugar and also to bake a recipe chosen from the ones included in the pack I was sent. I decided to use the sugars to bake one of my recipes first to see how they performed in a recipe I use often.

﻿One of the recipes I am asked to bake the most, especially for lunchbox treats and class birthday treats/parties, is my Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are not too soft, or too crisp, and just big enough to satisfy a cookie craving without seeming greedy.

Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups plain flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

185g butter, melted

1 cup light soft brown sugar

1/4 cup caster sugar/granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 free range egg

1 - 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, smarties or fudge chunks

Preheat your oven to 170C. Line several baking trays with baking paper. Mix the flour and bicarbonate of soda together and make a well in the centre. In a bowl or jug mix the melted butter, sugar, egg and vanilla extract together until well combined then pour into the flour and mix well.

Gently mix the chocolate chips then put spoonfuls onto the prepared trays, leave room for the cookies to spread a little. Bake for 15 minutes then leave to cool on trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

I'm working with Whitworths Sugar, whose www.whitworths-sugar.co.uk site includes ideas and recipes for baking with sugar. Follow the conversation on Twitter with the #bakingS0S hash tag and @WhitworthsSugar.

Each batch makes about 20 cookies, depending on how big you like them. I usually use a heaped teaspoon of dough for each cookie. Bake them for 10 - 12 minutes then check them if you are worried about them being a little too crispy.